A heated debate over the future of gambling regulation is unfolding in Norway as four counties—Agder, Østfold, Rogaland, and Finnmark—launch a unified campaign opposing proposals to liberalise the country’s gambling market. Under the slogan “We can’t gamble away…”, regional leaders warn that dismantling the state-owned monopoly held by Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto could result in catastrophic funding losses for sports, culture, and humanitarian services.
The campaign directly challenges a growing push from members of the conservative Høyre party to introduce a competitive, licensed gambling market, similar to those in Sweden and Denmark. Advocates of liberalisation, including MPs Magnus Mæland, Ola Svenneby, and Anita Oterhals Eide, claim it would enhance player protection and increase tax revenue. However, local leaders see the move as a direct threat to social infrastructure.
Agder received 170 million kroner (approx. €14.8 million) in 2024 from Norsk Tipping—funds used for sports facilities, youth programs, choirs, and theaters. Østfold received 162 million kroner, Rogaland over 320 million, and Finnmark 81 million. Nationwide, almost 8 billion kroner (€700 million) in profits from Norsk Tipping and Rikstoto were redistributed to local communities last year.
Kjetil Bakke, chairman of the Viken Sports Association, criticized the idea of profits going to foreign operators in Malta and Luxembourg. “How much would they take before they contribute a single krone back to society?” he asked.
Rogaland Sports Association leader Siri Ommedal also condemned the lobbying efforts of the Norwegian Online Gambling Industry Association (NBO) and its Secretary General Carl Fredrik Stenstrøm, calling them “an active threat to Norway’s social model.”
Despite internal divisions, the current government coalition and a majority within Høyre still support maintaining the existing model. However, with parliamentary elections approaching in September, political momentum could shift.
As of March 24, 2025, the future of Norway’s gambling monopoly hangs in the balance, with powerful voices on both sides and billions of kroner in public funding at stake.
